6-PD 1.0 RFP 25-004 HR Benefits Consultant.pdf

City of Round Rock, Texas Purchasing Division 221 East Main Street

Round Rock, Texas 78664-5299 www.roundrocktexas.gov

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONSULTING SERVICES

SOLICITATION NUMBER 26-004

JANUARY 2026

http://www.roundrocktexas.gov/

City of Round Rock Employee Benefits Consulting Services RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONSULTING SERVICES

PART I

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND: The City of Round Rock, hereinafter “the City,” seeks proposals from firms experienced in employee health benefits consulting services.

The Employee Benefits Consultant shall serve as a full-service advisor to the City of Round Rock, providing strategic, financial, actuarial, compliance, communication, wellness, and administrative support related to the City of Round Rock’s employee and retiree benefits and wellness programs. Services shall be customized to meet the City’s specific needs and strategic long-term objectives.

The City of Round Rock currently has approximately 1,150 benefits-eligible employees and is self-funded for health, pharmacy, and dental benefits. The current self-funded health benefits include two different co-pay plans (PPO and EPO types), cover approximately 2,400 individuals, and include an on-site health clinic. The health clinic provides personal health and occupational health services. The City pays a high percentage of the employee's health insurance premium and provides subsidies for dependent coverage. The FY 2026 self-funded health insurance budget totals $24,785,000.

In addition to health insurance, employees may enroll with dental, vision, EAP, disability, life insurance, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and pre-paid legal/identity theft prevention benefits, and the City’s wellness program. Retirement benefits are with the Texas Municipal Retirement System, and 457b Deferred Compensation benefits are with Nationwide Retirement.

2. SOLICITATION PACKET: This solicitation packet is comprised of the following:

3. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: It is the City’s intention to follow the solicitation timeline below.

EVENT DATE

Solicitation released January 7 2026

Deadline for submission of questions January 19, 2026 @ 5:00 PM, CST

City responses to questions or addendums Approximately January 21, 2026, 5:00 PM, CST

Deadline for submission of responses Feb 10, 2026 @ 3:00 PM, CST

Description Index

Part I – General Requirements Page(s) 2-4

Part II – Definitions, Standard Terms and Conditions, and Insurance Requirements

Part III – Supplemental Terms and Conditions Page(s) 6-8

Part IV – Scope of Work Page(s) 9-11

Part V – Proposal Preparation Instructions and Evaluation Factors Page(s) 12-14

Attachment A- Proposal Submittal Form Separate Attachment

Attachment B – Reference Sheet Separate Attachment

Attachment C- Cost Proposal Sheet Separate Attachment

Attachment D- 2026 Employee Benefits Guide Separate Attachment

Attachment E- 2026 Retiree Benefits Guide Separate Attachment

Attachment F- Insurance Instructions Separate Attachment

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

All questions regarding the solicitation shall be submitted through Bonfire in writing by 5:00 PM, CST on the due date noted above. A copy of all questions submitted and the City’s response to the questions shall be posted on the City’s webpage in the form of an addendum at:

https://roundrocktexas.bonfirehub.com

The City reserves the right to modify these dates. Notice of date change will be posted to the City’s website:

https://roundrocktexas.bonfirehub.com

4. SOLICITATION UPDATES: Respondents shall be responsible for monitoring the City’s website at https://roundrocktexas.bonfirehub.com for any updates pertaining to the solicitation described herein. Various updates may include addendums, cancellations, notifications, and any other pertinent information necessary for the submission of a correct and accurate response. The City will not be held responsible for any further communication beyond updating the website.

5. RESPONSE DUE DATE: Appropriately submitted responses are due at or before 3:00 PM, on the due date noted in PART I, Section 3 – Schedule of Events. The Offeror shall respond via the City’s electronic bidding platform, Bonfire: https://roundrocktexas.bonfirehub.com

A. This request for qualifications (RFQs) does not commit the City to contract for any supply or service.

B. No paper or submittals outside of Bonfire will be accepted by the City.

C. Responses cannot be altered or amended after digital opening.

D. No response can be withdrawn after opening without written approval from the City for an acceptable reason.

E. The City will not be bound by any oral statement or offer made contrary to the written specifications.

F. Samples and/or copies shall be provided at the Respondent’s expense and shall become the property of the City.

G. Late responses will not be considered.

6. CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PARTIES: Section 2252.908 of the Texas Government Code requires the successful offeror to complete a Form 1295 “Certificate of Interested Parties” that is signed for a contract award requiring council authorization. The “Certificate of Interested Parties” form must be completed on the Texas Ethics Commission website, printed, signed, and submitted to the City by the authorized agent of the Business Entity with acknowledgment that disclosure is made under oath and under penalty of perjury prior to final contract execution. Link to Texas Ethics Commission Webpage:

https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/whatsnew/elf_info_form1295.htm

7. EX PARTE COMMUNICATION: Please note that to insure the proper and fair evaluation of an offer, the City of Round Rock prohibits ex parte communication (e.g., unsolicited) initiated by the Offeror to the City Official, Employee, City Consultant, or Evaluation Team member evaluating or considering the offers prior to the time an award decision has been confirmed. Communication between an Offeror and the City will be initiated by the appropriate City Official or Employee in order to obtain information or clarification needed to develop a proper and accurate evaluation of the offer. Ex parte communication may be grounds for disqualifying the offending Offeror from consideration of award in evaluation or any future bid.

8. OPPORTUNITY TO PROTEST: The Purchasing Manager for the City of Round Rock (“City”), in consultation with the City Attorney, shall have the authority to settle or resolve any dispute concerning the solicitation or award of a contract. The Purchasing Manager may solicit written responses to the protest from other interested parties. The aggrieved person must prepare his or her complaint in writing and send it by electronic mail to the City’s Purchasing Department at protest@roundrocktexas.gov.

In the event of a timely protest, the City shall not proceed further with the solicitation or award of a contract unless it is determined that the award must take place without delay, to protect the best interests of the City.

The procedures for notifying the City of an alleged deficiency or filing a protest are listed below. If you fail to comply with any of these requirements, the Purchasing Office may dismiss your complaint or protest.

A. Prior to Offer Due Date: If you are a prospective offeror for the award of a contract (“Offeror”) and you become aware of the facts regarding what you believe is a deficiency in the solicitation process before the https://roundrocktexas.bonfirehub.com/portal https://roundrocktexas.bonfirehub.com/portal https://roundrocktexas.bonfirehub.com/portal https://roundrocktexas.bonfirehub.com/ https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/whatsnew/elf_info_form1295.htm mailto:protest@roundrocktexas.gov

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026 due date for receipt of offers in response to a solicitation (“Offers”), you must notify the City in writing of the alleged deficiency before that date, giving the City an opportunity to resolve the situation prior to the Offer due date.

B. After Offer Due Date: If you submit an Offer to the City and you believe that there has been a deficiency in the solicitation process or the award, you have the opportunity to protest the solicitation process, or the recommended award as follows:

i. You must file a written notice of your intent to protest within four (4) working days of the date that you know or should have known of the facts relating to the protest. If you do not file a written notice of intent within this time, you have waived all rights to protest the solicitation process or the award.

ii. You must file your formal written protest within ten (10) working days of the date that you know or should have known of the facts relating to the protest unless you know of the facts before the Offer has been closed. If you know of the facts before those dates, you must notify the City as stated in section (A) above.

iii. You must submit your protest in writing and must include the following information:

a. your name, address, telephone number, and email address.

b. the solicitation number.

c. a specific identification of the statutory or regulatory provision that you are alleging has been violated.

d. a detailed statement of the factual grounds for your protest, including copies of any relevant documents.

e. a statement of any issues of law or fact that you contend must be resolved; and

f. a statement of the argument and authority that you offer in support of your protest.

iv. Your protest must be concise and presented logically and factually to help with the City’s review.

C. Receipt of Timely Protest: When the City receives a timely and complete written protest, the Purchasing Manager, with assistance from the City Attorney, shall make one of the following determinations:

i. Determine that a violation of rules and statutes has occurred prior to the award of the contract and inform you and other interested parties of the determination. The City will prepare updated solicitation documents and will re-solicit.

ii. Determine that no violation of rules or statutes has occurred and inform you and other interested parties of the decision by letter. The reasons for the determination will be presented in the letter.

iii. Determine that a violation of rules and statutes has occurred after the award of the contract and inform you and other interested parties of the determination. However, the awarded contract will not be canceled. As needed, corrective actions may be taken with purchasing or any other pertinent City staff.

iv. A determination will usually be made within fifteen (15) business days after receipt of the formal protest.

v. Any written decisions by the Purchasing Manager shall be the final administrative action for the City.

All documentation pertaining to a protest will be kept on file at the City and are subject to open records requests.

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

PART II

DEFINITIONS, STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS,

AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

1. DEFINITIONS, STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS: By submitting a response to this solicitation, the Respondent agrees that the City’s Definitions and Standard Terms and Conditions, in effect at the time of release of the solicitation, shall govern unless specifically provided otherwise in a separate agreement or on the face of a purchase order. These can be obtained from the City’s website at:

https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/city-departments/purchasing/. In addition, the Supplemental Terms and Conditions listed in Section III, shall also be enforced as part of the contract.

2. INSURANCE: The Respondent shall meet or exceed all insurance requirements set forth in Standard Insurance Requirements. The City’s Standard Insurance Requirements document can be viewed and downloaded from the City’s website at: https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/city-departments/purchasing/ https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/city-departments/purchasing/ https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/city-departments/purchasing/

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

PART III

SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. AGREEMENT TERM: The terms of the awarded agreement shall include but not be limited to the following:

A. The term of the Agreement shall begin from date of award and shall remain in full force for sixty (60) months.

B. Upon expiration of the contract term, the Contractor agrees to hold over under the terms and conditions of this agreement for such a period as is reasonably necessary to re-solicit and/or complete the project up to 120 days.

2. RESPONDENT QUALIFICATIONS: The City has established the following minimum qualifications.

Respondents who do not meet the minimum qualifications will not be considered for award. The Respondent shall:

A. Be firms, corporations, individuals, or partnerships normally engaged in providing Employee Benefits

Consulting Services as specified herein and have adequate organization, facilities, equipment, financial capability, and personnel to ensure prompt and efficient service to the City.

B. In order to confirm financial stability, the City may choose to review audited financial statements at any time throughout the RFQs evaluation process. Upon request, the Respondent shall provide two years audited financial statements, including any notes or supplemental schedules within 2 business days of the original request.

C. The Respondent shall include in the proposal a list of all litigation the company or its principals have been involved in within the last three (3) years.

D. Be domiciled in or have a home office inside the United States. Respondents domiciled outside the United States, or not having a home office inside the United States will not be included for consideration in this solicitation process.

3. SUBCONTRACTORS: Respondent shall not subcontract or otherwise engage subcontractors to perform required services. The City seeks to do business directly with a company experienced in human resources benefits consulting services.

4. SAFETY: The City reserves the right to remove any employee from City property for violation of federal, state, and local health, safety and environmental laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations. The Respondent shall:

A. Ensure that all employees comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), State and City safety and occupational health standards and other applicable federal, state, and local health, safety, and environmental laws ordinances, rules, and regulations in the performance of these services.

B. Be held responsible for the safety of their employees and unsafe acts or conditions that may cause injury or damage to any persons or property within and around the work site. In case of conflict, the most stringent safety requirement shall govern.

C. Indemnify and hold the City harmless from and against all claims, demands, suits, actions, judgments, fines, penalties, and liability of every kind arising from the breach of the Contractor’s obligations under this paragraph.

5. WORKFORCE: Successful Respondent shall:

A. Ensure Respondent’s employees perform the services in a timely, professional, and efficient manner.

B. Ensure Respondent’s employees, while working on City property, wear a company uniform that clearly identifies them as the Respondent’s employee.

C. Employ all personnel for work in accordance with the requirements set forth by the United States

Department of Labor. The City reserves the right to verify citizenship or right to work in the United States.

6. PRICE INCREASE: Contract prices for human resources benefits consulting services shall remain firm throughout the initial twelve (12) month term of the contract. A price increase to the agreement may be considered on the anniversary date of the Contract each year and shall be equal to the consumer price index

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026 for that year, but at no time can the increase be greater than 10% for any single line item unless otherwise approved by the City.

A. Consumer Price Index (CPI): Price adjustments will be made in accordance with the percentage change in the U.S. Department of Labor Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for all Urban Consumers. The price adjustment rate will be determined by comparing the percentage difference between the CPI in effect for the base year six-month average (January through June OR July through December), and each (January through June OR July through December six month average) thereafter. The percentage difference between those two CPI issues will be the price adjustment rate. No retroactive contract price adjustments will be allowed. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is found at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index website: http://www.bls.gov/cpi

B. Procedure to Request Increase:

i. Email the written price increase request to purchasing@roundrocktexas.gov with the rate detail comparison, a comprehensive calculation, and any supporting documentation to the designated City Contract Specialist a minimum of 45 days prior to the annual Contract anniversary date. The detailed written calculation will be verified and confirmed. All written requests for increases must include the City of Round Rock contract number, solicitation reference information and contact information for the authorized representative requesting the increase.

ii. Upon receipt of the request, the City reserves the right to either accept the escalation and make change to the purchase order within 30 days of the request or negotiate with the Vendor or cancel the agreement or purchase order if an agreement cannot be reached on the value of the increase.

7. ACCEPTANCE/INSPECTION: Acceptance/Inspection should not take more than five (5) working days. The Contractor will be notified within the time frame if the services delivered are not in full compliance with the specifications. In the event the services are not performed to the satisfaction of the City the Contractor shall agree to reperform services to specification at no additional cost to the City. If any agreement or purchase order is cancelled for non-acceptance, the needed services may be purchased elsewhere.

8. PERFORMANCE REVIEW: The City reserves the right to review the awarded Contractor’s performance anytime during the contract term.

9. ORDER QUANTITY: The quantities shown on the solicitation are estimates only. No guarantee of any minimum or maximum purchase is made or implied. The City will only order the services/goods needed to satisfy requirements within budgetary constraints, which may be more or less than indicated.

10. AWARD: The City reserves the right to enter into an Agreement or a Purchase Order with a single award, split award, primary and secondary award, non-award, or use any combination that best serves the interest and at the sole discretion of the City. Respondents to the solicitation will be notified when City staff recommendation of award has been made. The award announcement will be posted to the City’s website at https://roundrocktexas.bonfirehub.com once City Council has approved the recommendation of award and the agreement has been executed.

11. POINT OF CONTACT / DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE:

A. Contractor’s point of contact: In order to maintain consistent standards of quality work performed across the City, the City shall be provided with a designated and identified point of contact upon award of the contract to include contact information. The City’s designated representative shall be notified by the Respondent immediately should the point of contact change.

B. The City’s designated representative: The City’s designated representative shall be:

Tyler Jarl Human Resources Manager Human Resources Department Phone: (512) 341-3143 E-mail: tjarl@roundrocktexas.gov

C. Do not contact the individual listed above with questions or comments during the course of the solicitation.

http://www.bls.gov/cpi mailto:purchasing@roundrocktexas.gov https://roundrocktexas.bonfirehub.com/portal mailto:tjarl@roundrocktexas.gov

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

12. INTERLOCAL PURCHASING AGREEMENTS:

A. The City has entered into Interlocal Agreements with other Governmental agencies pursuant to the

Interlocal Cooperation Act, Chapter 791 of the Texas Government Code.

B. The Contractor may offer the same price and terms and conditions to other eligible agencies that have an interlocal agreement with the City.

C. The City does not accept any responsibility or liability for the purchases by other government agencies through an interlocal cooperative agreement.

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

PART IV

SCOPE OF WORK

1. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND: The City of Round Rock, hereinafter “the City,” seeks proposals from firms experienced in employee benefits consulting services.

The Employee Benefits Consultant shall serve as a full-service advisor to the City of Round Rock, providing strategic, financial, actuarial, compliance, communication, wellness, and administrative support related to the City of Round Rock’s employee and retiree benefits and wellness programs. Services must be customized to meet the City’s specific needs and strategic long-term objectives.

2. FINANCIAL, BUDGET, AND ACTUARIAL SERVICES: The Consultant shall provide comprehensive financial and actuarial support, including but not limited to:

A. Reforecasting the current plan year budget based on finalized enrollment.

B. Analyzing and recommending active employee and retiree contribution strategies.

C. Assisting with the development of annual strategic benefit plan objectives and initiatives.

D. Negotiating renewals for all benefit-related products and services to secure cost-effective terms aligned with budget projections.

E. Providing monthly financial reporting for medical, dental, and prescription drug claims for active employees and retirees.

F. Developing actuarial projections using proprietary modeling tools to forecast future costs and assess the financial impact of potential plan design changes.

G. Monitoring network, clinic, and vendor performance, including utilization, discounts, and overall plan efficiency.

H. Advising on cost management strategies and programs to improve financial sustainability.

3. STRATEGIC PLANNING, REPORTING, AND ANALYSIS: The Consultant shall support data-driven decision-making through the following services:

A. Conducting quarterly (or more frequent, as requested) strategy and review meetings to evaluate actual costs versus budget, utilization trends, and improvement opportunities.

B. Performing a comprehensive audit and review of existing benefit programs to identify strengths, gaps, and improvement opportunities.

C. Providing ongoing budget analysis and monthly variance monitoring to proactively identify emerging trends.

D. Translating vendor reports into concise, actionable summaries, including claim detail and key performance indicators.

E. Conducting plan efficiency and utilization analyses to assess financial and clinical performance.

F. Performing benchmarking analyses using national and custom data sources to evaluate CORR’s competitive positioning.

4. PLAN DESIGN AND VENDOR MANAGEMENT: The Consultant shall assist with benefit plan design and vendor oversight, including:

A. Evaluating and modeling plan design alternatives and selection patterns.

B. Conducting internal underwriting analyses to support data-driven vendor negotiations.

C. Evaluating market alternatives and supporting the development and administration of Requests for

Proposal (RFPs), as applicable.

D. Supporting and participating in vendor negotiations, including contract term reviews.

E. Managing benefit renewals and presenting renewal summaries and recommendations.

5. COMMUNICATIONS AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

A. The Consultant shall assist CORR with benefit-related communications, including:

B. Developing strategies and communications for annual health screenings, as applicable.

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

C. Assisting with the development and editing of benefit guides, newsletters, and wellness communications.

D. Supporting Open Enrollment communications for:

i. Active employees

ii. New hires

iii. Retirees

E. Creating targeted, on-demand communications (e.g., letters and emails) to address administrative or program needs.

6. WELLNESS AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT SERVICES: The Consultant shall support wellness and health improvement initiatives, including:

A. Developing and executing a comprehensive wellness program implementation plan B. Advising on the selection, contracting, and management of wellness vendors C. Designing incentive strategies tied to program participation and medical/pharmacy budget outcomes D. Reviewing contracts and managing annual on-site health screenings E. Conducting year-over-year cohort analyses of health risk factors and program outcomes.

7. OPTIONAL- PHARMACY BENEFITS CONSULTING: The City currently utilizes external pharmacy-related services. During the term of this agreement, CORR may elect to modify its approach to pharmacy consulting.

The Consultant shall be prepared to provide pharmacy consulting services, as authorized by CORR, in accordance with the optional services scope. A respondent’s decision not to propose on this optional service shall not impact the evaluation or consideration of the respondent’s proposal. These services may include, but not be limited to:

A. Pharmacy Financial and Contract Analysis B. Pharmacy strategy and market evaluation C. Pharmacy reporting and education

Pharmacy consulting services shall be provided only if authorized by City staff and may be scoped, scheduled, or priced separately from the core health benefits consulting services.

8. COMPLIANCE AND REGULATORY SUPPORT: The Consultant shall provide ongoing compliance guidance, including:

A. Reviewing benefit-related contracts for accuracy, compliance, and completeness.

B. Advising on legislative and regulatory changes impacting employee benefit plans.

C. Providing guidance and strategic planning related to the compliance with all employee benefit plans laws and regulations.

D. Delivering written compliance alerts and updates on a monthly or as-needed basis.

E. Offering access to compliance resources, including webinars, alerts, and training on regulatory topics such as HIPAA and IRS requirements

9. ADMINISTRATIVE AND BENCHMARKING SUPPORT: The Consultant shall assist with administrative and benchmarking activities, including:

A. Gathering and analyzing industry benchmarking data related to benefit offerings, plan designs, enrollment, and financial performance.

B. Comparing the City’s benefit programs against peer organizations and industry standards.

C. Providing ongoing advisory support to Human Resources and benefits staff as needed.

10. EDUCATION AND TRAINING: The Consultant shall provide education and training services, including:

A. Conducting customized educational sessions for City staff on benefit trends, plan performance, and regulatory changes, RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

B. Providing access to seminars, webinars, and archived training materials on relevant benefits topics.

C. Supporting City staff with ongoing education to ensure informed decision-making and compliance.

11. CITY RESPONSIBILITIES: The City will:

A. Coordinate all scheduling with the Contractor

B. Provide all relevant data to Contractor for report development.

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

PART V

PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

AND EVALUATION FACTORS

1. PROPOSAL ACCEPTANCE PERIOD: All proposals are valid for a period of one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days subsequent to the RFQs closing date unless a longer acceptance period is offered in the proposal.

2. PROPOSAL RESPONSE: Responses shall be clear and concise while appropriately responding to the evaluation criteria listed below in Section 3. In order to do business with the City of Round Rock you must be registered with the City’s Vendor Database. To register, go to:

https://roundrocktxvendors.munisselfservice.com/Vendors/default.aspx

Proposal Submittal Instructions: The Respondent shall include all of the following documents in their response-o Attachment A- Proposal Submittal Form o Attachment B- Reference Sheet o Attachment C- Cost Proposal Sheet o Acknowledged Addenda (if applicable) o Company Information- which gives in brief, concise terms, a summation of the proposal. Include the following-o Business Organization: State full name and address of your organization and identify parent company if you are a subsidiary. Specify the branch office or other subordinate element which will perform, or assist in performing, work herein. Indicate whether you operate as a partnership, corporation, or individual. Include the State in which incorporated or licensed to operate.

o Project Management Structure: Provide a general explanation and chart which specifies project leadership and reporting responsibilities; and interface the team with City project management and team personnel. If use of subcontractors is proposed, identify their placement in the primary management structure, and provide internal management description for each subcontractor.

o Authorized Negotiator: Include the name, email address, and telephone number of the person(s) in your organization authorized to negotiate Contract terms and render binding decisions on Contract matters.

o Segment requirements listed below.

o A statement of your compliance with all applicable rules and regulations of Federal, State and Local governing entities.

o List of Exceptions (if any)- Be advised that exceptions to any portion of the Solicitation may jeopardize acceptance of the Proposal by the City. Exceptions to this solicitation if any, shall be submitted on a separate sheet labeled “Exceptions” with the Respondent’s proposal.

3. EVALUATION CRITERIA:

A. Segment 1 – Respondent’s Solution, Approach, & Timeline

i. System Concept and Solution: Define in detail your understanding of the requirement presented in the Scope of Work of this request for qualifications and your system solution. Provide all details as required in the Scope of Work and any additional information you deem necessary to evaluate your proposal.

ii. Program Approach and Timeline: Describe your technical plan for accomplishing required work and the estimated timeline for a project. Include such time-related displays, graphs, and charts as necessary to show tasks, sub-tasks, milestones, and decision points related to the Scope of Work and your plan for accomplishment. Specifically indicate:

a) Understanding of the City’s current benefits environment and key challenges

b) Proposed consulting model and service delivery structure

c) How the proposed solution aligns with the Scope of Work and supports both short-term and long-term objectives https://roundrocktxvendors.munisselfservice.com/Vendors/default.aspx

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

d) Value-added services, tools, or methodologies relevant to employee benefits consulting.

e) Work Plan by Functional Area- A description of the proposed work program organized by major service areas (e.g., financial and actuarial support, plan design, vendor management, communications, wellness, compliance, and optional pharmacy consulting). Describe how services will be delivered throughout the contract term.

f) Key Activities and Methodologies- An explanation of the tools, analytical methods, and best practices that will be used to perform required services, including budgeting, actuarial modeling, vendor negotiations, benchmarking, utilization analysis, and reporting.

g) Timeline and Service Cadence- A proposed timeline or service schedule showing key activities, recurring services (e.g., monthly reporting, quarterly strategy meetings, annual renewals), milestones, and decision points. Visual timelines, tables, or charts are encouraged.

h) Deliverables and Reporting- Identification of written reports, presentations, dashboards, or other deliverables that will be provided during the contract term, including the frequency and purpose of each deliverable.

i) Flexibility and Responsiveness- A description of how the respondent will adapt its approach to changes in program needs, regulatory requirements, vendor arrangements, or benefit delivery models during the term of the contract.

j) Optional Services Acknowledgment (if applicable)- If proposing optional services (e.g., pharmacy consulting), respondents should describe how those services would be integrated into the overall consulting approach if authorized by the City. Proposals for optional services will be considered separately and are not required for responsiveness.

B. Segment 2 – Company Work Experience and Personnel

i. Prior Experience: State the number of years the Respondent company has been providing the services requested in the solicitation. Describe only relevant municipal, governmental, corporate, and individual experience for the company and personnel who will be actively engaged in the project. Do not include corporate experience unless personnel assigned to this project actively participated. Do not include experience prior to 2014. Supply the project title, year, and reference name, title, present address, and phone number of principal persons for whom prior projects were accomplished.

ii. Contractors’ past performance with the City may be evaluated.

iii. Personnel: Include names, qualifications, and resumes of all personnel who will be assigned to the account. State the primary work assigned to each person and the percentage of time each person will devote to this work. Identify key personnel by name and title.

C. Segment 3 – Cost Proposal: Information described in the following subsections is required from each Proposer. Your method of costing may or may not be used but should be described. A firm fixed price or not-to-exceed Contract is contemplated.

i. The Proposer shall submit pricing in the form of a monthly flat fee for consulting services. The monthly fee shall include all labor, materials, administrative costs, travel, and any other expenses required to fully perform the services outlined in the Scope of Work.

1) The City does not anticipate or authorize additional line items, pass-through costs, or miscellaneous fees beyond the proposed monthly flat fee. Invoices shall reflect only the approved monthly fee unless otherwise authorized in writing by the City.

2) Proposers may describe their pricing methodology; however, the proposed pricing shall be presented as a single, all-inclusive monthly amount.

ii. OPTIONAL Pharmacy Benefits Consulting- Contractor shall provide pricing schedule if applicable. A respondent’s decision not to propose on this optional service shall not impact the evaluation or consideration of the respondent’s proposal.

4. EVALUATION SCORING: The intent of the City is to award to one Respondent in accordance with the evaluation criteria below. The purpose of this evaluation criteria is to determine which proposal best meets the requirements and provides the best overall value to the City.

A. Evaluation Criteria: Weights:

RFP No. 25-004 Commodity Code: 918-40 January 2026

• Respondent’s Solution, Approach, & Timeline (Segment 1) 40 pts

• Company Work Experience and Personnel (Segment 2) 30 pts

• Cost 30 Pts

Maximum Weight: 100 pts

B. An evaluation committee will be established to evaluate the proposal. The committee will include employees of the City and may include other impartial individuals who are not City employees. The evaluation committee will determine if discussions and/or Best and Final Offers (BAFO) are necessary.

Award of a contract may be made without discussions or BAFO, if in the best interest of the City. The evaluation committee may determine that discussions are necessary to clarify or verify a written proposal response. The City may, at its discretion, elect to have respondents provide oral presentations of their proposal. The City reserves the right to rescore an offer based on provided demonstrations. A request for a BAFO is at the sole discretion of the City and will be requested in writing. The evaluation committee will evaluate the finalists and make a recommendation for award.

C. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals submitted, or to award to the respondent who in the City’s opinion, offers the best value to the City. The City also reserves the right to cancel the RFQs process and pursue alternate methods for providing the requirements.

D. The City reserves the right to conduct studies and other investigations as necessary to evaluate any proposal.

E. The City reserves the right to waive any minor technicality, irregularities, or informalities noted in the submission process. Submission of proposal confers no legal rights upon any Respondent.

F. The City reserves the right to request further documentation or information and to discuss proposal response with any Respondent in order to answer questions or to clarify any aspects of the proposal.

G. The City may develop a “short list” of qualified proposal and may determine that the Respondent(s) should submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Each “short listed” Respondent will be given a reasonable opportunity for discussion and revision of their proposal.

5. AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND AWARD PROCESS:

A. A proposal presented in response to this RFQs is subject to negotiation concerning any issues deemed relevant by the City. The City reserves the right to negotiate any issue with any party. Any unsolicited communication by the Respondent to a City official, undesignated employee, or an evaluation team member evaluating or considering the offers may be grounds for disqualifying the offending Offeror from consideration of award.

B. Submission of proposal indicates the Respondent’s acceptance of the evaluation process and recognition that the City may make subjective judgments in evaluating the proposal to determine the best value for the City.

C. If negotiations are successful, the City and Respondent may enter into an agreement. If negotiations are unsuccessful, the City may formally end negotiations with that Respondent.

D. The City also reserves the right to reject any or all submittals, or to accept any submittal deemed most advantageous, or to waive any irregularities or informalities in the submittal received.

E. An independent signed authorized Contract will be sent to the successful Respondent(s). Execution of a City of Round Rock contract is required prior to starting work and processing any payments to the Contractor.

6. POST AWARD MEETING: The City and the Respondent may schedule a post award meeting to discuss, but not be limited to the following:

A. The method to provide a smooth and orderly transition of services performed from the current Contractor.

B. Provide City contact(s) information for implementation of the Agreement.

C. Identify specific milestones, goals, and strategies to meet objectives.